Psychology  Faculty

Dr. Linda L. Collinsworth, B.A. Eureka College, M.Ed. National Louis University, and Ph.D. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Behavioral Sciences Department. She is a Counseling/Clinical Psychologist and teaches a variety of courses including Social Psychology, Statistics in the Behavioral Sciences, Tests and Measurement, and Psychology of Women. Dr. Collinsworth’s research interests include women’s victimization in general with a concentration on sexual harassment in the workplace, academia, and housing. Contact information: 424-6396 or room 426-C Shilling Hall or lcollinsworth@millikin.edu.

Professor Pixie Fennessey, B.A. Eastern Illinois University, M.A. Eastern Illinois University, additional hours in Psychology, Sociology , and Education from the University of Iowa, North West Missouri State University, University of Northern Iowa, and University of Illinois. She is an adjunct professor of  Psychology and Sociology. She has worked in various mental health agencies as a psychotherapist and teaches courses at Millikin including: Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Sociology, Development: Child & Adolescence, Development: Adult & Aging, Social Psychology , and Freshmen Seminar. Community agencies that she is presently involved with include Growing Strong Sexual Assault Center, Prairieland Case Coordination Services, and the NAACP. Contact information: 420-6718 or 875-7200 ext. 409, or room 426A Shilling Hall or pfenness@richland.edu   

Dr. Gordon Forbes, B.A. University of Iowa, M.A. Southern Illinois, and Ph.D. Walden University, is emeritus Professor of Psychology in the Behavioral Sciences Department. He is a Child Clinical Psychologist and directs a faculty-student research team that studies gender differences in social perception, sexism, and body image. Contact information: gforbes@millikin.edu 

Dr. James D. St. James,  B.A. Stephen F. Austin State University, M.A. Texas Women’s University, and Ph.D. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is an Associate Professor of Psychology in the Behavioral Sciences Department. He currently serves the the Department Chair.  He is is an Experimental Psychologist and teaches a variety of courses including Advanced Experimental Psychology, Advanced Statistical Methods, Introduction to Psychology, Memory & Cognition, and Principles of Psychology with Lab. Dr. St. James' research interests include motor control and motor learning, attention, and memory. Contact information: 424-6376 or room 426-D Shilling Hall or jstjames@millikin.edu

Dr. D. Rene’ Verry, B.S. Madison College, M.A. Trinity University, and Ph.D. Purdue University, is an Associate Professor of Psychology in the Behavioral Sciences department. She is an Experimental Psychologist and teaches a variety of courses including Experimental Psychology, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Introduction to Psychology, Principles of Learning, Sensation & Perception, and University Seminar. Dr. Verry's research interests include animal learning and memory, serial pattern learning and counting in animals, environmental enrichment, and sexual harassment. Contact information: 424-6398 or room 423-F Shilling Hall or rverry@millikin.edu

Professor Jeffrey M. Wallis, is an adjunct instructor of Psychology in the Behavioral Sciences Department. He is an advanced doctoral student at Illinois State University specializing in School Psychology. He currently teaches two sections of Lifespan Development. Research interests include cognitive development, socialization and parent-child interactions, early emotional development, pervasive developmental disorders, domestic violence, preschool depression, development of scientific reasoning, conceptual organization, categorization, and inductive reasoning in children and infants. Contact information: 217-425-4662 or room 423B Shilling Hall or jwallis@millikin.edu

Sociology Faculty

Dr. Larry Crisler, B.S. Eastern Illinois University, and M.A., Ph.D. Southern Illinois University, is an Associate Professor of Sociology in the Behavioral Sciences Department. He teaches a variety of courses including Complex Organizations, Criminology, Introduction to Sociology, Methods of Social Research, Social Change, and The Social Survey. Dr. Crisler's research interests include collective behavior, deviant behavior, and crime with a special interest in white collar and corporate crime. Contact information: 424-6399 or room 423-D Shilling Hall or lcrisler@millikin.edu

Dr. Larry Troy, B.A. State University of New York-Stony Brook, and M.A, Ph.D. University of Connecticut, is a Professor of Sociology in the Behavioral Sciences Department. He teaches a variety of courses including Introduction to Sociology, Poverty & Welfare Reform, The Family, Approaches to Sociological Theory, Sociological Analysis, and Urban Sociology. Dr. Troy's research interests include community development, family violence, and service learning. Contact information: 424-6375 or room 423-C Shilling Hall or ltroy@millikin.edu

Social Work Faculty

Professor Mary E. Garrison, B.A. Western Illinois Unviersity, and MSW University of Illinois, LCSW, ACSW is an Assistant Professor of Social Work in the Behavioral Sciences Department. Mary is a social worker who has had over 15 years of direct practice, supervision, and administration experience within the human service field specifically in mental health for 12 years. Mary teaches Practice with Diverse Populations, Social Work Ethics, Human Behavior and the Social Environment, and Community Mental Health. Mary continues to be active with her community and at the state level working to advocate for mental health issues, policy, and clients including work with the Mental Health Association and the National Alliance for Mental Illness. Mary's research interests include focus on the mental health consumer movement and consumers as employees in mental health agencies with respect to the implications of social work practice and ethics. Additionally, a focus will look at how organizations can be successful or not in hiring current and former clients on as staff to assist clients in mental health recovery. Additionally, Mary is involved in research focusing on the outcomes of sexually inappropriate behaviors with college students as well as examining the coping strategies related to sexually inappropriate behaviors students experience in high school. Contact information: 424-5074 or room 426-G Shilling Hall or mgarrison@millikin.edu

Professor Kay B. White, B.A. Illinois Wesleyan University, M.S.W. University of Illinois, is an Associate Professor of Social Work. she is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers and the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association. In addition to serving as the Coordinator of the Internship Program, Professor White teaches a variety of courses including the Child Welfare, Human Services Capstone, Interventions with Groups, Interventions with Individuals, Social Gerontology, Social Issues in Health Care, and Social Work Theory & Practice. Professor White’s clinical and research interests include geriatrics, medical ethics, equine-assisted psychotherapy, and non-traditional students. Contact information: 424-6339 or room 425 Shilling Hall or KayWhite@millikin.edu

Anthropology Faculty

Professor Erick Parker, B.A. and J.D. Indiana University, M.A. (ABD) University of Minnesota, is an Adjunct Instructor of Anthropology in the Behavioral Sciences Department. He teaches courses including Introduction to Anthropology and Cultural Geography.  Contact information: 425-4662 or room 426G Shilling Hall or eparker@mail.millikin.edu

Departmental Secretary

Ms. Rebecca Ives, the Behavioral Sciences Secretary should be contacted for information about current departmental offerings, general information, resource materials, VCR & MO-Comp reservations, laboratory keys, department book check-out, and faculty availability. Contact information: 424-6275 or Shilling Hall Room 423 or rives@millikin.edu

Updated: October 2006